Callaway Courthouse thanks therapy dogs for their services

FULTON – The Callaway Courthouse welcomed therapy dogs and their handlers on Tuesday for a ceremony thanking them for their services. The dogs are often used to comfort children or others who visit the court.

Five dogs and their handlers joined Circuit Judge Sue Crane and others from the courthouse to receive treats and a certificate acknowledging the work they have done.

“I wanted to say thank you to the volunteers who bring their dogs weekly to us for court,” Crane said. “And because it’s completely voluntary, this was a small way to say thank you.”

Crane said the ceremony was also an educational opportunity for people from the courthouse and community to learn more about therapy dogs.

Lynn Hill, one of the dog handlers, said there is a difference between service and therapy dogs that most people aren’t aware of.

“A service dog is trained to provide some need for a person. They’re trained to work with their one special human and pay attention to them,” Hill said. “A therapy dog is trained to serve all the people, so we teach them to go out to people, and let them hug and love on them. They’re like service dogs for everybody.”

This is the first time a ceremony like this has been held in the Callaway Courthouse. Crane said she hopes this ceremony shows how much the dogs are appreciated.

“I don’t know that we could thank them enough for what they do,” she said.